H olds on to Jesus O perates by grace P erseveres in difficulty E

H olds on to Jesus
O perates by grace
P erseveres in difficulty
E nergizes faith & love
HOPELESSNESS
A word picture truthfully describing the
tragedy, the loss of focus, and the desperate
fight to survive worldwide.
It’s fruit…
Pessimism about life
Misplaced trust
Desperation
Resignation
…the grave
We smile when
we have hope!
“Good morning! Let the stress begin.”
“If not for stress, I’d have no energy at all.”
“I started with nothing, and have most of it left.”
“Just when I make ends meet,
someone moves the ends.”
We can smile at these because…
We have been given enduring,
living hope!
Hope…
• Is the anticipation of real and true good, a
confident expectation that help is on the way.
Hope…
• Is the anticipation of real and true good, a
confident expectation that help is on the way.
• Expects God to act
– to rise and save His people!
– to work all things for the best good He can
bring out of it
 1 Peter 1:3,13,21
Hope is the conviction that Jesus wants to, and
will show Himself to be the Risen Lord in my life!
Hope…
• Is the anticipation of real and true good, a
confident expectation that help is on the way
• Expects God to act
• Holds on to Jesus through thick and thin,
energizing faith and love
 1 Peter 5:6-11
Hope is pure gift…
“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and
God our Father, who has loved us and given us
eternal comfort and good hope by grace…”
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NASB)
“For I know the plans that I have for you,’
declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for
calamity to give you a future and a hope…”
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NASB)
Hope is given to those who…
• Are filled with the Holy Spirit
 Romans 15:13
 John 16:7,12-15
 Isaiah 61:1-3
Hope in God is evidence
that the Holy Spirit is
present
Hope is given to those who…
• Are filled with the Holy Spirit
• Have the love of God poured out in their
hearts by the Holy Spirit.
 Romans 5:4-5
 Ephesians 3:14-21
Hope is given to those who…
• Are filled with the Holy Spirit
• Have the love of God poured out in their
hearts by the Holy Spirit.
• Fully accept & rely on
God’s Word.
 Romans 15:4
 Jeremiah 29:11-13
Hope is given to those who…
• Are filled with the Holy Spirit
• Have the love of God poured out in their
hearts by the Holy Spirit.
• Fully accept & rely on
God’s Word.
 Matthew 7:24-27
 Psalm 119:49,116; 130:5
Hope is given to those who…
• Are filled with the Holy Spirit
• Have the love of God poured out in their
hearts by the Holy Spirit.
• Fully accept & rely
on God’s Word.
 1 Peter 1:22-25
Having been given hope…
• Thank God for it, and act upon it.
“Therefore we do not lose heart…”
Having been given hope…
• Thank God for it, and act upon it.
• Ask Him to help you share it so that hope is
created in the hearts of others.
“Therefore we do not lose heart…”
Having been given hope…
• Thank God for it, and act upon it.
• Ask Him to help you share it so that hope is
created in the hearts of others.
• Do not fix your hope on temporary things,
but on the Eternal One Himself.
 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 (NASB)
“Therefore we do not lose heart…”